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It’s 2am, you’ve been in bed for hours and still cannot drift off. The room is too hot, the bed is too hot, your body is too hot – and the pillow’s not helping. You’ve already turned it over at least 40 times to get the ‘cool side’. Then you start thinking about work and planning social events and holidays. It’s a feeling we’ve all had – with the heat, light late into the evenings and packed schedule, it’s harder to get to sleep in the summer and, according to a recent survey, 76% of us agree that lack of sleep is the worst thing about the summer months. Summer insomnia can seriously affect our health. It massively decreases our energy levels so that we feel exhausted during the day – often before lunch and around 4pm. Our ability to store and retrieve memory suffers, as does our work performance and even libido. This has a knock-on effect on our enjoyment of life, leaving us feeling less fulfilled and increasing the chances of developing depression. So what’s the best way to drift off into productive, restful summer slumber? Sleep Expert Rosemary Turley (from www.KaymedWorld.com ) gives us her top ten tips… 1. “The most important thing is getting the right pillow and mattress as this has an immediate beneficial effect in maintaining a cooling and hygienic flow of air under the sleeper’s body. A quality memory foam mattress can also reduce tossing and turning from 70 or more times a night to 35 or less, giving deeper and more restful sleep, and provide better neck, back and sciatic support. A pillow that doesn’t need turning is a great place to start. 2. “This should also be coupled with having a warm weather specific duvet with a TOG value as low as 4.5 and certainly no greater than eight. It is amazing how many people use the same winter weight of duvet 12 months of the year. 3. “Even if you go to bed after dark remember that in mid summer the sun comes up very early in the morning – as early as 3.30am in parts of the UK - so make sure you have effective light-blocking curtains and keep them closed. Also eliminate as much light as possible, including light from alarm clocks and LCD panels. 4. “Remember that circulating air keeps you cool, so it might be a good idea to keep an electric fan running through the night. The steady noise of the fan can also mask distracting sporadic sounds from outside. 5. “Avoid stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine. It's best to abstain from these altogether but if you can't then try to avoid them after late afternoon/early evening. 6. “Don’t watch TV just before bed, especially adrenaline viewing such as sport or war films. 7. “Don’t exercise too close to bedtime - at least three hours - as your body needs time to wind down and will keep your mind awake. 8. “Adopt a ‘going to bed’ routine, a ritual that signals your brain that the day is ending and it's time to shut down. Don't do any work or any puzzle-solving during this ritual. 9. “Only use your bed for sleep. Don't fill your bedroom with computers, televisions or anything not to do with restful activities. 10. “If you haven't dropped off to sleep within half an hour, don't lie there stressing over it. Get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy.” |
| Posted: 04/08/2008 15:02:35 Last Updated: 04/08/2008 15:08:26 |
Chick Lit > Pampered Chicks :: Sleep Better This Summer